Tubastraea Problems..

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billb

Guest
Ok, Iv'e had the sun cups/corals for two weeks now and they won't open (all the way). I suspect they are in fact still alive, due to the fact, doused with food they will react. Knowing that they should be hand fed every two days as a mininmum, I'm getting a bit worried about these guys. Iv'e tried different foods and have read that Mysis seems to best popular. Iv'e tried it in the light, the dark, just after dark, at 2:00 am (stubbing my toes) but to no avail. They seem to just peek out, check-it-out, then retract.("out" for an hour or two, peeking) Iv'e tried open feeding to get them out...the 2-liter bottle enclosure (top open)! Water conditions seem fine, all else is thriving in the tank. I don't want to give up on them. Anything thing else I can try in the ol' turkey baster, hints would be greatly appreciated...
Enclosed photo, shows the extent of opening so far...
Thanks,
Billb
 
greatfullreefer

greatfullreefer

Active Member
They do like a strong water current, i feed mine by putting a tupperware container in the tank, then placing the coral in it, removing the container and adding brine shrimp with a baster then circulating the water. Its a pain in the bum but its the only way it eats.
 
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billb

Guest
Thanks for the reply...
So you actually remove them from the tank to feed them? In the tupperware container?
I understand they need good current, is it just when they feed? and thats the reason you circulate the water during feeding?
I have mine in a medium flow (for lack of a good place to sit them (low light usually means lower circulation in my tank (maybe I'll have to resolve this, ie. caves and caverns are not in the "big" flow)
It's wierd, why would they need a good flow in conditions when they are closed up anyway... and how would they eat in a natural situation with the food "whizzing" by.. (why should tupperware be the solution...)
I'm sure there are scientific answers to the above, and it all can't be reproduced properly in a tank (easily)... (a good study for a grad student?)
I'm trying the 2-liter capsule again (in-tank), using your method and stirring it up with an easy turkey baster blow, to keep the food and water in the container circulating in the mini water column.
This would be an interesting project: maybe a 3-5 gallon tank, set up specifically for light/food and circulation for these guys...HHMMmmm....
Thanks again...
Billb
 
g13

g13

Member
I never knew you had to feed them like that? I've had mines for 5 months and they mostly only open at night they rarely open up during the day. I've never spot fed them and they are doing fine or maybe they just look it. Maybe I'm just lucky because they open up like clockwork when the lights go off.
 
kpk

kpk

Active Member
man just try to point a ph toward it if you can, even if you have to get a new one, like a maxi-jet 400 or 600, if you can make a place, i have a 1200 on a wavemaker blowing right on it. what i did when i fed mine, i jus mixed silversides, garlic, and brine shrimp and they would eat it up, even about 1/2" silversides. as of now i don't even feed because they stay fat, always show their tentacles, and look great, i guess they eat pods and leftovers from the other fish, plus i downsized the colony about 3/4. here is a pic of it when i got it...
had about 100 polyps or so, now about 20-30...
 
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billb

Guest
What am I missing...one theory...enclose and feed... next theory, blast it with a powerhead????????????
Not to say, anyone is wrong here... an interesting situation to say the least...:notsure:
 
kpk

kpk

Active Member
no no sorry, i was just saying when it is in the tank have a powerhead giving alot of flow, but when you feed take it out and just blow the water around with a baster or something, that is what i do when i do feed...sorry about that
 
B

billb

Guest
:D no problem...hee hee... looks like I'll still be trying a few things..as long as it hangs in there...
Thanks..
Billb
 
mtbikedr

mtbikedr

Member
My tubestra stayed closed for a bit when I put it into my tank, but now it opens most anytime I agitate the water. I have two, one small one that stays open frequently, and has not sprouted too many new polyps, and a second much much bigger colony that doesn't open as frequently, but is growing all sorts of new polyps. I keep them both in areas that have fair flow, and they seem to do better when not exposed to as much light. I sometimes spot feed mine, but most of the time just let them take in whatever goes into the tank, I vary my food a great deal, so they seem ot like the variety. I'm attaching a pic of each.
 
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billb

Guest
Mine still hasn't opened all the way (hmm..bout three weeks now) It's still alive! It does start to peek out a bit each day, then goes in... I bought two new powerheads to replace a couple of the ones I don't like, and will be cleaning and shifting things around in the tank sometime this weekend...time will tell..Nice photos...those look great!
 
cyslyde

cyslyde

Member

Originally posted by kpk
plus i downsized the colony about 3/4. here is a pic of it when i got it...
had about 100 polyps or so, now about 20-30...
can you please explain how you did this, and what did you do to the rest of it (did they survive) Thank you
 
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